LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 



ALL THINGS 



PERTAINING TO LIFE 



AN ILLUSTRATION OF 2 PETER i. 5, 6, 



BY 



REV. CHARLES T. ANDERSON. 



C- 



PHILADELPHIA: 

J. 13. LIPPINCOTT & CO. 

1879. 

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The X^tbRarv 

OF Congress 






Copyright, 1879, by REV. CHARLES T. ANDERSON, 



TO THE READER. 



npO point out the Bible standard of Chrls- 
^ tian living, and urge its attainment, is the 
object of this work. 

In this age of " Helps to the study of the 
Bible," the English reader can have no diffi- 
culty In dealing with the exegetical matter in 
the illustration. Indeed, it is believed that a 
slight exhibition of the process by which the 
results of Biblical study are reached, will be 
agreeable to him. Perhaps it may awaken in 
him the desire for more accurate and thorough 
knowledge of Scripture through exegetical 
inquiry. With such aids at hand as " T/ie 
Englishmaii s Gi^eek Concordance of the New 



TO THE READER. 



Testament'' there is no reason why a desire of 
that nature may not be now realized. 

I do not pretend to have fully illustrated 
this passage. The Bible is a vast treasure- 
house, full of inexhaustible riches. The sen- 
tences and even the words are apartments 
in the edifice containing wonders peculiar to 
themselves. Perhaps the key of one room 
has been recognized, the door unlocked, and 
something of pi^actical advantage discovered 
by me. 

If, through a perusal of these pages, the 
reader shall become a sharer in the pleasure 
and profit I have experienced in their prepara- 
tion, I shall be gratified. 

C. T. A. 

Peapack, N. J., December iSyS. 



CONTENTS. 









PAGE 


Prologue 


II 


I. — Virtue .... 






19 


II. — Knowledge 






34 


III. — Temperance 






46 


IV. — Patience .... 






63 


V. — Godliness 






80 


VI. — Brotherly Kindness 






97 


VII. — Charity ..... 






117 



rfj apsTfj rijv yutoffc^, iy dk rfj y^wffsi zif^ iyxpd~£ca>, h ok rfj 
iy/.parsLa rij\^ VTZofjjyAf^^ h dk rfj 6-op.<r>7J ro^v eoffiiSsta'^, h dk 
zfj sbffsf^eia tt^j (fcXaiJzlciay, h dk rfj (fCka^tXifia r^v aya-r^vT 
— 2 Peter i. 5, 6, 7. 

"Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 
and to knowledge temperance ; and to temperance 
patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness 
brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity." 
— 2 Peter i. 5, 6, 7. 



PROLOGUE. 



IN ancient Greece when a poet had written 
a play and wished to have it brought out, 
the Archon first granted him a Chorus, — that 
is, a band of singers and dancers. This 
Chorus was regularly trained in dancing and 
singing, usually by the poet himself. The 
expenses of the Chorus, however, being great, 
were defrayed by some rich citizen, who was 
therefore called the Choragus. The applause 
bestowed upon the Chorus decided the suc- 
cess of the play. 

Whether the apostle had in mind the Greek 
drama when he penned this exhortation we 
do not know. He has used the word which 
brings to mind the office of Choragus. The 
word tT.tyopriyiu), here translated ''add,'' signifies 

II 



12 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

primarily to furnish supplies for a Chorus. 
We think the apostle had in mind the Greek 
drama, and intends to invest the believer with 
a choragic office. He means to liken the 
Christian life to a drama. The Divine Author 
wishes to bring out the piece. The Chorus 
of graces has been granted to assist the rep- 
resentation. The believer is to act the part 
of a Choragus. He is to exhibit in his daily 
life among men, through the exercise of 
Virtue, Knowledge, Temperance, Patience, 
Godliness, Brotherly Kindness, Charity, the 
practical fruits of Christian Faith in the 
highest possible degree of perfection. 

The ancient Choragus was always a wealthy 
citizen, and equipped the Chorus according to 
his means, and thus reflected credit upon 
himself, and insured the success of the play. 
The believer is rich. The Lord Jesus has 
by his divine power given unto him '' all 
things which pertain unto life and godliness." 
He should, therefore, supply abundandy. His 



PROLOGUE. 



Chorus should be led fordi in such a manner 
as to perfecdy satisfy the Author, and merit 
the applause of the wondering and admiring 
spectators. 

In the ancient presentation of a play, the 
equipment and bringing out of the Chorus, 
the scenic effect was the object of the people's 
interest. Likewise, the external development 
of a shining Christian character from the 
divinely implanted internal principle of Faith 
must engage the Christian Choragus. For in 
the drama of the Christian life, also, the 
worldly give attention only to that which is 
thrust upon their apprehension. Still, the 
most frivolous do not withhold applause from 
that which is worthy. That which attracts, 
and has ever attracted the gaze of men to 
Jesus of Nazareth, is the perfect exemplifica- 
tion in Him of all the graces in all their 
loveliness. 

In the Greek drama, he who equipped and 
led forth the Chorus shared the applause with 



H ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

the author of the piece. It may be that often 
the larger share of popular approbation was 
intended for the Choragus. In the drama of 
the Christian life the believer is a co-worker 
together with God. Though to God belongs 
the glory of man's justification, sanctification, 
and final redemption, the plaudit, "Well done," 
is bestowed upon every good and faithful 
servant. 

The number of graces which the believer is 
to exhibit is seven. The number seven is used 
in Scripture to denote perfection. True faith 
contains the germs of each and every one of 
these graces, and if the believer will properly 
exercise them, there shall be in process of 
development every essential quality of the 
true Christian. No believer can possibly ex- 
hibit all or any single one of these graces in 
perfection. If, however, he leads the whole 
band forth, trained and equipped according to 
his ability, there will be at least that kind of 
perfection which results from the presence of 



PROLOGUE. 15 



every part, and he will merit applause accord- 
ing to the degree of perfection in each and 
all. 

Each grace assumed becomes the stepping- 
stone to the succeeding grace ; and the latter, 
in turn, qualifies and completes the former. 
They must, therefore, all be cultivated simul- 
taneously. 

There must also be a proportionate devel- 
opment of the graces. If one side of a tree 
grows and the other does not, the tree ac- 
quires a crooked form, is a misshapen thing. 
Analogous to this is the unequal growth of 
the Christian graces. If Virtue, for example, 
which urges the Christian to all holy endeavor, 
grow out of due proportion to Knowledge, 
like a machine without a balance-wheel or 
director, it carries men aw^ay into imprudence. 

The reward of grace hereafter shall corre- 
spond to the work of grace here. If these 
graces "abound in" the believer, he shall 
have an entrance into Heaven, not merely 



1 6 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

"scarcely," nor "so as by fire," like one 
escaping with life after having lost all his 
goods, but in triumph, without stumbHng and 
falling. If there be such a thing as growth in 
grace, then some must enter Heaven more 
rapturously than others. They who bear the 
nearest resemblance to his dear Son shall be 
the most graciously welcomed of the Father. 

As there shall be a difference in the en- 
trance into, so shall there be a difference in 
the enjoyment of Heaven. All shall be per- 
fectly happy. But a hogshead may be full, 
and a thimble may be full, yet how vast is the 
difference in quantity each can contain ! Some 
of God's people shall be capable of taking in 
more of the delight of Heaven than others, 
because while on earth they cultivated those 
spiritual powers which are brought into requi- 
sition there. As an artist, who has made the 
art of painting a study of a lifetime, stands 
with rapture before a great production, and is 
able to take in more of its beauties than he 



PROLOGUE. 17 



whose esthetical nature is undeveloped, so the 
Christian, who best cukivates his spiritual 
powers while here, will stand before the 
Saviour with greatest rapture, and take in 
most of his surpassing loveliness. 

Were a stranger to come into a Christian 
community, It would be a long time ere he 
might be able to distinguish a professor from a 
non-professor of religion. This speaks much 
concerning God's favor to men, in giving his 
Spirit to operate upon the hearts of all man- 
kind. But what does it prove concerning 
Christians ? They profess to be " partakers 
of the divine nature," to be " purged from 
their old sins." Should they be entirely indis- 
tinguishable from other persons? It is true, 
they are surrounded by many who are " not 
far from the kingdom," such as the young 
ruler whom Jesus loved. But the change in 
the believer is so great, — a regeneration, — 
that the results should be correspondingly 
great. God leaves his children in this wilder- 



1 8 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

ness below, that the fruits of the faith-life may- 
appear transcendently beautiful, when com- 
pared with even the best which can be pro- 
duced from the soil of the natural heart. He 
means the Christian Choragus to stand head 
and shoulders above all other men in those 
things in which other men excel, and to have a 
halo about his head, and a beauty and grace 
in his form and carriage, the counterpart of 
that divine halo which played around the brow 
of the Saviour of men, and that matchless 
beauty and grace which clothed the Sorr of 
God. 



I. 
VIRTUE. 

THE English word virtue is from the Latin 
word znrtus, which is derived from Vi7\ 
Vir means a man, with special reference to 
the quality of energy which properly belongs 
to every true man. The Greek word here 
translated virtue is apzz-q, derived from j^o^c, 
the name of the war god Mars, who, among 
the Greeks, was the personification of manly 
strength. ^ If, therefore, as is proper, we have 
regard to the classic signification, as well as 
the New Testament sense of the word, we 
must understand the apostle to be exhorting 
Christians to the exercise of manly qualities. 
St. Paul gives the same exhortation to the 
Corinthians, "Quit you like men" (i Cor. 
xvi. 13). 

19 



20 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

Once at mid-day Diogenes, of SInope, an old 
Greek philosopher, went through the streets, 
lantern in hand, as if in search of something. 
A citizen asked him for what he was seeking ; 
and he replied, "A man!" The philosopher 
had indeed never seen a man. And though 
his search was doubtless prompted by self- 
conceit, if he had paused and turned the lan- 
tern upon Diogenes, he would have failed to 
realize his search. Moreover, had he been 
called upon to declare what was really lacking 
in the men of his day, even cynical philosophy 
must have been puzzled. His countrymen 
had sought and attained the highest physical 
and intellectual development, but they had 
never risen out of the weakness and igno- 
rance of sin to a life of moral strength and 
wisdom. Grecian science and art proved 
utterly powerless to redeem men from cor- 
ruption. Mere culture cannot now make men 
what they should be. There must be a har- 
monious development of all the powers of the 



VIRTUE. 21 



body and faculties of the soul. Christianity 
aims at this. It begins by a change of views, 
feelings, and purposes, through repentance 
and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, effected by 
the glorious mercy and powerful energy of 
the Spirit of God. This change is the prom- 
ise and potency of the highest life. The 
coming man, or perfected Christian, will real- 
ize more than the Grecian ideal of physical 
beauty and intellectual vigor in connection 
with the highest moral culture. The Greek 
ideal of manhood, the body and mind cultured 
at the expense of the heart, is not much far- 
ther removed from the truth than the ideal 
which generally prevails among us, — the mind 
and heart cultured at the expense of the body. 
Nothing has had a more general and unfortu- 
nate influence on the development of Chris- 
tian manhood than the feelinof, which seems 
almost ineradicable, that the body is an entan- 
glement of the soul. Whether this feeling is 
due to the impress which the heresy of Manes 



22 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

has left on the Church's Hfe, or to some con- 
stitutional cause, it is difficult to determine. 
The whole system of monkery doubtless owes 
its origin and strength to this feeling. The 
almost entire separation of bodily from mental 
and spiritual culture which has existed in the 
educational institutions of Christendom during 
the centuries may be referred to it. We once 
heard the president of a college, prompted by 
this feeling no doubt, quote i Timothy iv. 8, 
and then exhort the students against too much 
devotion to base-ball. Many a minister, un- 
consciously influenced by this feeling, over- 
taxes his physical energies. The oft-repeated 
expression, " It matters not what becomes of 
my body if my soul only goes safe," falls from 
the lips of those who think the body of little 
importance. This idea or feeling is unwar- 
ranted by Scripture. The body has been dig- 
nified and exalted through the incarnation of 
the Son of God. It is the temple for the 
divine indwelling (i Cor. vi. 19). The soul 



VIRTUE. 23 



is not to enjoy any prolonged or perfected 
existence separated from it (Heb. xi. 40) ; and 
soul and body are to share together an eternal 
destiny. '* The body is more than a shell, 
more than a garment, more than a house : it 
is the married co-operating partner of the 
spirit." It must therefore share with the soul 
the onward march to "glory and virtue" 
(2 Peter i. 3). It is true a great soul is 
sometimes found in a small and weak body ; 
and there is no such thing as " physical cour- 
age" or '' physical fear." There is, however, 
such a thing as courage supported by strength 
of muscle and nerve, and there is such a thing 
as fear caused and increased by bodily infirm- 
ities. Morbid self-examination, too common 
among Christians, and which results in doubt 
and fear and consequent inefficiency, is caused 
in most cases by bodily indisposition. The 
annual games of Greece and Rome did not 
perpetuate national existence or assist the 
development of morality, but it is to be hoped 



24 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE, 

that the manly sports of international interest 
which are now witnessed will assist the pro- 
duction in free Christian lands of the highest 
type of men. 

Those of the gentler sex are not to infer 
that they may not aspire to the exercise of 
virtue. It is not so much the acquisition of 
strength through physical culture, which is 
urged as a necessary substratum of energetic 
excellency, as general healthfulness. Women 
must exercise the grace of virtue as well as 
men. Indeed, the names of women are found 
among the noblest exemplifiers of this grace. 
Solomon extolled the virtuous woman of his 
day (Prov. xxxL). Those fearless, active, and 
faithful ones who ministered to the neces- 
sities of Christ, and were last at the cross 
and first at the sepulchre, and Dorcas and 
Lydia of apostolic times, have had worthy 
successors during all the history of the 
Church. 

There are three principal qualities of manli- 



VIRTUE. 25 



ness, or virtue, which every Christian should 
cultivate and exhibit. 

T. Courage, — Courage is that quality which 
enables one to encounter danger and difficul- 
ties with firmness, or without fear or depres- 
sion. Abraham exhibited this quality when 
he obeyed the command to sacrifice his son, 
in whom were centred all the promises. The 
Faithful Father "added" virtue to his faith, 
and in the exercise of courage met the diffi- 
culty. Moses was of a retiring disposition, 
and averse to encountering danger and diffi- 
culties. It was, therefore, this quality which 
God directed him to cultivate, and through 
the cultivation of which he became so emi- 
nendy fitted for leadership. Daniel cour- 
ageously continued his devotions in spite of 
the king's command. John Baptist was cour- 
ageous in his wilderness preaching, and in his 
rebuke of Herod. The disciples were cour- 
ageo.us in following Christ after his proscrip- 
tion. They did let go their courage at his 

3 



26 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

apprehension, that great trial of their virtue ; 
but they never afterward accepted dehverance 
at the price of denial. The primitive Chris- 
tians and reformers of the sixteenth century, 
from whom ascended to Heaven an innumer- 
able company of martyrs and confessors, did 
not fear what man could do unto them. 

Courage may not now be called into exer- 
cise by the same difficulties and dangers as in 
primitive times. Still it is, as ever, an indis- 
pensable quality. At the present time, cour- 
age is needed to the belief and practice of 
Bible doctrine. When irreligious scientists 
are denying the supernatural, and rational- 
istic interpreters are undermining the authen- 
ticity and genuineness of the Bible, and evan- 
gelical ministers are proclaiming their doubts 
from the pulpit, courage is needed to brave 
the epithet " book- worshipper," and declare 
on all proper occasions, " I believe the books 
of the Old and New Testaments to be. the 
only word of God, and the perfect doctrine 



VIRTUE. 27 



unto salvation, and I reject all doctrines re- 
pugnant thereto." But more especially is 
courage needed at the present time to per- 
sist in the practice of piety. It is easier to 
say than to do. Much discredit has recently 
been brought upon the cause of Christ by 
prominent professors. It requires courage 
to maintain family religion ; to overcome in 
the exercise of faith all timidity, and gather 
the family together for worship ; to address 
the children personally on the subject of reli- 
gion ; to order the house aright. It requires 
courage to act as becometh a Christian in soci- 
ety, mixed or unmixed ; never to compromise 
Christian character by any low doings or con- 
versation, but in the private parlor, the public 
meeting, the social rendezvous, at home or 
abroad, to be always the Christian, resisting 
temptation, and rebuking sin by example and 
precept. 

It requires courage to carry religion into 
business ; to avoid tricks of the trade, to 



28 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

give value for value ; to be cheated one's self 
sooner than cheat another ; all at the risk of 
being left behind in the race by more un- 
scrupulous business neighbors. Courage is 
needed in these times to practise the public 
duties of religion ; to keep holy the Sabbath- 
day when friends and neighbors are desecrat- 
ing it; to faithfully and unostentatiously at- 
tend public worship when others go pleasure- 
seeking ; to quietly give for the support of 
the gospel, and encourage by presence and 
participation all the enterprises of the Church. 

" Be strong and of a good courage, fear 
not, nor be afraid of them : for the Lord thy 
God, He it is that doth go with thee ; He will 
not fail thee, nor forsake thee" (Deut. xxxi. 
6). "The fear of man bringeth a snare" 
(Prov. xxix. 25). 

2. Activity. — i\ctivity is a law of nature, 
and the condition of life and health and vigor. 
It is likewise a law of Christian life. Among 
the Greeks activity, especially the activity of 



VIRTUE. 29 



a soldier, was a high quality of virtue. Chris- 
tian activity is a nobler quality of a nobler 
virtue. The motives which inspire, the work 
which enoraofes, and the results which follow 
this activity are glorious. When one reads 
the lives of the apostles and of Cyprian, 
Edwards, Wesley, Whitefield, Asbury, Coke, 
and Payson, he rightly burns with enthusiasm 
to accomplish similar labors. But the sword 
should not be left in its sheath, because it 
cannot be flashed in the face of the world. 
It Is not by great deeds only good is to be 
done, but by the daily and quiet acts of life. 
The world needs but one cataract like Niag- 
ara, but it needs thousands and tens of thou- 
sands of little fountains and gently-flowing 
streams. " They who have voices and might, 
can go forth and preach the gospel. They 
who have wealth, can go forth and spend it 
for the poor, and sick, and uneducated, and 
unenlightened. They who have time, can go 
forth and spend It In deeds of goodness. 



30 ALL THINGS PERTAIN L\G TO LIFE. 

They that have power In prayer, can go forth 
and pray ; and they that can handle the pen, 
can go forth and write down iniquity." The 
Saviour said of one, and decreed that it 
should be everywhere and perpetually re- 
peated to her honor, and for an example, 
'' She hath done what she could" (Mark xiv. 8). 
Let the obligation to activity be felt, and the 
means and opportunity to display it will be 
afforded. Have " your feet shod with the prep- 
aration of the gospel of peace" (Eph. vl. 15). 
3. Consta7tcy. — Men sometimes imagine 
they would enjoy the life of a soldier, and 
they enlist. After they have come under 
army regulations, and passed through an en- 
gagement or two, they weary of routine and 
become apprehensive of danger. Then they 
seek to retire. Thus a profession of religion 
is often readily taken up, and as readily laid 
down again. To exercise a constant courage 
and activity Is wearisome. The commands of 
Christ to follow Him, to take up the cross, to 



VIR TUE. 3 I 



watch and pray, to hold fast till He come, send 
many away sorrowful. 

The Christian must, however, be " steadfast, 
immovable, always abounding in the work of 
the Lord" (i Cor. xvi. 58). Having done all, 
he is to stand (Eph. vi. 13). The apostles 
frequently exhorted the early Christians to 
constancy. The Galatians are reproved for 
inconstancy (Gal. i. 6). The Epistle to the 
Hebrews is written expressly to encourage 
steadfastness. " He that wavereth is like a 
wave of the sea driven by the wind and 
tossed. Let not that man think that he shall 
receive anything of the Lord" (James i. 6, 7). 
" Behold, I come quickly : hold that fast which 
thou hast, that no man take thy crown" (Rev. 
iii. 11). '* Be thou faithful unto death, and I 
will give thee a crown of life" (Rev. ii. 10). 

Let it not be forgotten that it is in the 
exercise of Faith virtue is to be " added." 
Faith is the arm behind the sword. Inspired 
by faith in the unseen and eternal, the be- 



32 ALL THINGS PERTAINLNG TO LIFE. 

liever can dare all things, do all things, endure 
all things. It was in the exercise of faith 
that the ancient worthies exhibited the loftiest 
courage, the noblest activity, and the most 
sublime steadfastness. '' Time would fail me 
to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Sam- 
son, and of Jephthah ; of David also, and 
Samuel, and of the prophets : who through 
faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteous- 
ness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths 
of lions, quenched the violence of fire, es- 
caped the edge of the sword, out of weakness 
were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, 
turned to fliorht the armies of the aliens" 

o 

(Heb. xi. 32-34). 

Christian courage, activity, and constancy 
are often severely tried ; but as we behold 
the cloud of witnesses surrounding us, and 
Jesus seated among them, through whose 
divine heroism we have eternal redemption, 
let It nerve us to the hio^hest exhibition of 
Christian Virtue. 



VIRTUE. 33 



"Tis not for man to trifle ! Life is brief, 

And sin is here. 
Our age is but the falling of a leaf, 

A dropping tear. 
We have no time to sport away the hours, 
All must be earnest in a world like ours. 

*' Not 7na?iy lives, but only one have we, — 
One, only one. 
How sacred should that one life ever be, — 

That narrow span ! 
Day after day filled up with blessed toil. 
Hour after hour still bringing in new spoil." 

Bonar. 



IX. 

KNOWLEDGE. 



THE energetic Christian is liable to impul- 
sive thought and action. Knowledge is 
necessary to guard against impulse. The 
Jews had zeal, but not according to knowl- 
edge. The knowledge necessary is of an 
especial kind and relatively high character. It 
is the gift of knowledge. 

A certain amount of knowledge is requisite 
to intelligent belief. Unless a person has 
knowledge of the true God, of sin, and of 
redemption through Christ, he cannot believe 
unto righteousness. Such knowledge is not, 
however, of the nature of a grace. It may be 
called a gift of God, in so far as He in his 
providence has placed the individual in favor- 

34 



KNOWLEDGE. 35 



able circumstances for hearing the truth, and 
actually brought It to his attention. That It Is 
not a spiritual gift Is evident from the fact that 
thousands of people In a Christian land have 
sufficient knowledge to leave them guilty of 
rejecting Christ, and yet they are "barren and 
unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus 
Christ" (2 Peter I. 8). 

There were many graces abundantly be- 
stowed upon the mass of believers in apos- 
tolic times. They are particularly enumerated 
in the twelfth chapter of First Corinthians. 
The essence of these gifts still Inheres In the 
Church, although their temporary form has 
disappeared. They were necessary at the 
time in the form in which they appeared ; and 
" they wrought together in organic harmony 
for the Inward edification of the Church and 
for the conversion of the world without." 
There may still be at times a relative neces- 
sity for their bestowment, in the very form In 
which they appeared In the first century of the 



36 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

Christian era. Indeed, it is thought by some 
that the phenomena now and then observed 
in times of great reHgious awakening and out- 
pouring of the Spirit should be referred to a 
fresh bestowment of Pentecostal gifts. 

Among the gifts enumerated in i Cor. xii. 
there are several which have been classified as 
"gifts of knowledge." The possessor of these 
gifts had a deep insight into the nature and 
structure of the divine plan of redemption, 
and the whole system of saving doctrine, and 
was usually able to discourse for the instruc- 
tion and edification of the congregation, and 
assist by a kind of sacred criticism in pre- 
serving purity of doctrine and manners. The 
gift of knowledge bestowed upon the apostles 
as leaders in the Church made them infallible 
in teaching, and gave them the power of judg- 
ing characters and discerning motives hidden 
from the common eye. 

The grace of knowledge, which the apostle 
exhorts the believer in the exercise of virtue 



KNOWLEDGE. 3/ 



to "add," is essentially the same as the gift 
of knowledge bestowed in apostolic times. 
It is a grace which regards chiefly the doc- 
trines of Christianity. The practical fruits of 
this grace are to appear in a discrimination 
between good and evil, an intelligent and 
quick appreciation of what is the will of God 
in detail. The gift is modified by the period 
in which, and the end for which, it is bestowed. 
The design of the cultivation of the grace 
of knowledge now is not, primarily, for the 
inward edification of the Church and the con- 
version of the world without, but for the 
personal advantage of the believer, that an 
entrance may be ministered unto him abun- 
dantly into the everlasting kingdom of our 
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (2 Peter i. 11). 
This grace is not restricted to the learned. 
It is the possession of all who exercise saving 
faith. The humble cotter who reverently 
turns the leaves of his " big Ha'-Bible" shares 
with the most profound student this spiritual 

4 



38 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

enlightenment. With it, any child of God may 
rise to the highest conception of divine truth. 
Without it, even a Renan must sink to the 
low level of destructive criticism. It is, more- 
over, the only true foundation of all other 
kinds of learning. The historian must begin 
with the truth that history is the unfolding of 
God's plan for the salvation of men. The 
scientist must begin with the truth that all 
things were made by God, and for his pleas- 
ure. However lofty and beautiful the super- 
structure of knowledge which the atheistical 
student is rearing may be, he must take it 
down and begin anew, or be finally crushed 
beneath its ruins. 

St. Paul says he counted all things but loss 
for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ 
Jesus his Lord (Phil. iii. 8). 

He was beyond doubt a thoroughly edu- 
cated man. He was, we believe, perfectly 
familiar with the literature of Greece, from 
which also the literature of Rome caught Its 



KNOWLEDGE. 39 



inspiration. What a teacher would he there- 
fore have made in the philosophical schools 
of Greece and Rome, with his general learn- 
ing, his familiarity with the science of the laws 
of thought, his keen insight into the nature 
and cause of things, his knowledge of men, 
and his wonderful powers of imagination ! 
But it was not learning in general that he 
prized. He counted the wisdom of this world 
as foolishness in comparison with the wisdom 
of Scripture ; for the world by its wisdom 
knew not God, whom the Scriptures clearly 
revealed, and the knowledge of God is the 
highest of all knowledge. In theosopJiy (God- 
wisdom) is the wisdom of men to finally 
culminate. 

The proper exercise of this grace of knowl- 
edge will necessitate : 

I. A study of the Bible. — The Bible reveals 
the being and perfections of God, and the 
origin and end of man's existence. It affirms 
the composite nature of man, and indicates 



40 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

the true relation of soul and body. The 
deep mysteries of man's nature : his longing 
after Immortality, and his liability to misery 
and death ; his power to sit in judgment on 
his own acts, and his abiding sense of guilt ; 
his Inability to still the accusations of con- 
science, and the feeling that an atonement Is 
necessary ; these mysteries, which reason can- 
not solve, and the contemplation of which 
with the light of reason only have a tendency 
to unsettle the mind, to cause a Brutus to fall 
upon his sword, and a Pliny to court a violent 
death, the Bible solves. It leads out of the 
labyrinth of despair. It tells how sin came 
into the world, and how Its power and pollu- 
tion may be escaped ; how men are under 
law, but how they may be under grace ; how 
conscience condemns, but how there may be 
peace of conscience. There Is therefore no 
higher object of knowledge than that revealed 
in the Bible. The study of the Bible will 
enlighten the mind more than the study of 



KNOWLEDGE. 4 1 



any other, or of all other books put together. 
It alone discovers the source, character, and aim 
of virtuous action, and Inspires to the wisest 
and mightiest efforts for good. It should 
be studied comprehensively, in its variety and 
unity. Where there is leisure and ability, 
the languages in which it was originally writ- 
ten, its literature, history, geography, manners, 
and customs, everything therein alluded to, 
should be embraced In the study. 

It should be studied tJioroitgJily, If ''knowl- 
edge Is power," and " the man of one book 
Is to be feared," then he who most thoroughly 
acquaints himself with the Scriptures will, 
other things being equal, be the strongest 
man. He will be the most courageous In 

<z> 

the discharge of duty, the most active In all 
good works, and the most steadfast in the 
faith. "All Scripture Is given by Inspira- 
tion of God, and is profitable for doctrine, 
for reproof, for correction, for instruction in 
righteousness : that the man of God may be 

4^ 



42 ALL TLLINGS PERTALNING TO LLFE. 

perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good 
works" (2 Tim. iii. 16, 17). 

2. Christian experience. — The Saviour says, 
" If any man will do his (God's) will, he shall 
know of the doctrine" (John vii. 17). It is 
only by obeying God's laws that we come to 
know their wisdom and goodness. It is only 
by testing his " exceeding great and precious 
promises" that we come to know their value. 
" The obedient, and the men of practice, are 
those sons of light that shall outgrow all their 
doubts and ignorances, that shall ride upon 
these clouds, and triumph over their present 
imperfections, till persuasion pass Into knowl- 
edge, and knowledge advance into assur- 
ance, and all come at length to be completed 
in the beatific vision, and a full fruition of 
those joys which God has in reserve for 
them whom by his grace He shall prepare 
for glory." 

3. Prayer. — There was a stage In Abra- 
ham's advance in the virtues when the hero- 



KNOWLEDGE. 43 



ism Faith had produced in him became a 
yearning for more Hght. And he prayed, 
" Lord God, whereby shall / know that I shall 
inherit it?" (Gen. xv. 8.) Then he was led 
into the light of that " day" (" my day," said 
Jesus), which he saw and was glad. What 
knowledge that " third day" brought him at the 
mount of vision ! Prayer is the flight of the 
soul to the bosom of God, who Is the fountain 
of infinite knowledge, and who reveals to his 
children, by his Spirit, those things which flesh 
and blood cannot. St. Paul says, " We do not 
cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye 
may be filled with the knowledge of his will 
in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that 
ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all 
pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, 
and Increasing in the knowledge of God" 
(Col. I. 9, 10). St. James says, "If any of you 
lack wisdom," that is, spiritual enlightenment, 
"let him ask of God, that giveth to all men 
liberally, and upbraideth not, and It shall be 



44 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

given him" (James i. 5). The Holy Spirit is 
received in answer to prayer. Of him Christ 
says, " He shall teach you all things, and bring 
all things to your remembrance whatsoever I 
have said unto you" (John xiv. 26). 

While this grace, like all the others In the 
choral band, can be exhibited in perfection 
only in the theatre above, it is one of the 
band. The Christian Choragus is to equip It 
and bring it out on the stage of his earthly 
life, that It may regulate his virtuous action, 
and bear Its part In the choral hymn of praise 
to Him who hath '' called us to glory and vir- 
tue" (2 Peter I. 3). Knowledge Is useless 
unless it be practised through the exercise 
of virtue ; but virtue is Incomplete without 

KNOWLEDGE. 



What is true knowledge? Is it with keen eye 
Of lucre's sons to thread the mazy way ? 
Is it of civic rights, and royal sway, 

And wealth political, the depths to try ? 



KNOWLEDGE. 45 



To marshal nature's tribes in just array. 

To mix, and analyze and mete and weigh 
Her elements, and all her powers descry ? 

These things, who will may know them, if to know 
Breed not vain glory. But o'er all to scan 

God, in his works and word shown forth below ; 
Creation's wonders and Redemption's plan j 

Whence came we, what to do, whither go. 
This is true knowledge and the ' whole of man.' " 

Bishop MaJtt. 



III. 



TEMPERANCE. 



ONE has said, ''The proper study of man- 
kind is man." The student of human 
nature is, however, soon forced to conclude 
that man is not what he once was. He finds 
in the body an element of decay, which must 
have been introduced subsequent to its fear- 
ful and wonderful formation. He finds in 
the soul an element of insubordination. He 
discovers a want of harmony between the 
physical and spiritual natures contrary to the 
original design. This is perplexing. Un- 
aided by Revelation he might arrive at a high 
idea of the origin and destiny of man ; but 
his idea could not be clear, nor would it impel 
him to right action. It is only when he takes 
46 



TEMPERANCE. 4/ 



Up the Bible in connection with the study of 
mankind ; indeed, it is only when he studies 
human nature in the biblical analysis and 
synthesis of it, that his views are clear and 
his aspirations quickened. Further, it is only 
when in humble faith he accepts the teaching 
of God's Word concerning the creation, fall, 
and redemption of mankind, that he exercises 
himself in harmony with the divine plan for 
the glorious reorganization of his being, the 
expulsion from the soul of every element of 
insubordination, the proper unity of the phys- 
ical and spiritual, and the final deliverance of 
the body from decay, and its triumphant 
assumption of an incorruptible, a glorious, a 
powerful, and a spiritual nature. 

The covenant of grace, which supersedes 
the covenant of works under which man fell, 
involves his restoration in the image of God. 
Through faith in Jesus Christ he lays the 
foundation, and in the exercise of the Chris- 
tian graces he rears the superstructure of the 



48 ALL TLILNGS PERTAINLNG TO LLFE, 

character, which admits him Into a Paradise 
on high. In this great work of restoration 
the grace of Temperance bears a most Im- 
portant part. 

Temperance {lYy.paTzici) means self-control. 
The "adding" or exercise of the grace of 
temperance to which the beHever is exhorted 
involves an exhibition of the practical fruits 
of self-control as to his natural appetites, 
desires, passions, and affections. The sphere 
of Its exercise Is more particularly his lower 
or animal self. This is evident from the con- 
nection In which the word is used. For 
example. Acts xxiv. 25, i Cor. vll. 9, Ix. 25. 
Man has many desires in common with the 
other creatures ; but he has reason, which 
makes him to differ from the brute. In man 
as originally created, the animal, which is 
lower, was always subordinate to the rational, 
which is higher, and there was harmony 
throughout his entire being. Sin introduced 
the discord which now appears. Christianity 



TEMPERANCE. 49 



aims at the destruction of sin in the beUever, 
and his perfection in hoHness. Reason must, 
therefore, assume its lawful place and power. 
When man acts according to the dictates of 
enlightened reason he will be free from vice. 
Conversion involves the ascendency of rea- 
son. It involves self-mastery. The Prodigal, 
it is said, " came to himself." He triumphed 
not only over the shame produced by his 
wretched condition and the fear of repulsion 
by his father, but also over his lusts, so that 
he had no desire to go back to the scenes of 
his " riotous living," but rather a desire to 
return to the quiet and purity of home. 
Thus, in every truly converted person, there 
is, simultaneously with the exercise of faith, 
the exercise of the grace of temperance ; and 
during the whole life the practical fruits of 
self-control are apparent. It is impossible to 
become and continue a Christian without the 
exercise of temperance. " Know^ ye not, that 
they which run in a race, run all, but one 



50 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

receiveth the prize ? So run, that ye may 
obtain. And every man that striveth for the 
mastery is temperate in all things. Now they 
do it to obtain a corruptible crown ; but we 
are incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as 
uncertainly ; so fight I, not as one that beateth 
the air: but I keep under my body, and bring 
it into subjection: lest that by any means when 
I have preached to others, I myself should be 
a castaway" (i Cor. ix. 24-27). 

Few persons are intemperate in all things. 
It is generally some single lust that is unduly 
gratified. But, as intemperance in any form 
or degree tends to disharmonize man's being 
and weaken his faculties and powers, he who 
is a member of Christ's body may not degrade 
himself, or injure his usefulness by any selfish 
indulgence. 

The most common form of intemperance 
among men is the excessive use of strong 
drink. Strong drink is manufactured in some 
form in almost every land. The relation of 



TEMPERANCE. 5 1 



Christians, therefore, to this specific form of 
intemperance may not be overlooked. The 
excessive use of intoxicating Hquors as bever- 
ages not only, but even the use of them, is 
uncommon amone Christians in America at 
the present day. It is rarely that a Church 
member is disciplined for drunkenness. Still, 
the sin is not altogether unknown in the 
Church. Drunkenness, which is a specific 
form of intemperance, is set forth in the Scrip- 
tures as an enormous sin. St. Paul commands 
the members of the Corinthian Church not to 
fellowship with a member who is a drunkard, 
no, not even to eat with him (i Cor. v. ii). 
It is declared that no drunkard shall inherit 
the kingdom (i Cor. vi. lo). In our harbors 
and rivers the government has placed buoys, 
which float above the rocks and indicate the 
course ships must take to avoid destruction. 
Now, when the Bible indicates a particular 
appetite which, if unduly gratified, will keep 
us out of Heaven, will we not, if wise, steer 



52 ALL THLNGS PERTALNING TO LLFE. 

as far away from the rock as possible ? When 
one is thirsty and drinks water, it quenches 
his thirst. He is refreshed and strengthened, 
and his mind remains clear. When one drinks 
intoxicating liquor, his thirst is inflamed, and 
instead of one draught being sufficient, it only 
creates the necessity for another. It also in- 
creases the pulsations of the heart, which 
send the blood in a rapid abnormal circulation 
throughout the body, producing fever. The 
mind is in consequence affected. The ideas 
become wild, irregular, unconnected. These 
effects are modified by the constitution of the 
individual, and by the quantity of liquor which 
is taken. The tendency of strong drink, how- 
ever, is to produce invariably an abnormal, 
unhealthy state of the system, no matter 
when, by whom, or in what quantity it is 
taken. If, as in the case of the habitual 
drinker, it is constantly introduced, the strain 
upon the system increases, and every dram 
leaves the body less able to sustain the sue- 



TEMPERANCE. 5 3 



ceeding pressure. The body becomes like a 
steam-engine which has been long in use, and 
often compelled to carry an unwarranted 
amount of steam. Its different parts are 
weakened and its boiler defective, and a final 
overcharge is destructive. The drunkard, 
with repeated excesses, so weakens every 
power that a final debauch produces death or 
a fatal disease. The poor body, true to the 
laws of nature, makes one last desperate 
struggle with the poison which has been 
poured into it. Then come the terrible knot- 
ting of the muscles and contortion of the 
features, and that wild delirium of the brain, 
with all its accompanying horrors. The 
drunkard becomes physically Incapacitated for 
thought and action, and is always a burden, as 
well as a dangerous enemy, to society. The 
effects produced upon the soul are in conse- 
quence of its connection with the body. The 
senses being benumbed, the intellect becomes 
clouded, the w^ill enervated ; and the affections 



54 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

being centred on one degrading object, the 
soul ceases to communicate with the beautiful 
and good. It falls back upon Itself, and Irre- 
llglon Is the result. Drunkenness cannot fall 
to so deaden the moral sense as to produce 
impiety. This Is doubtless why there shall be 
no drunkard In Heaven. There shall not be, 
because there cannot be. It is true the Bible 
sometimes speaks approvingly of wine as 
cheering and refreshing. Yet so emphatic, on 
the other hand, are Its denunciations of wine 
and strong drink, that we are Inclined to ac- 
cept the theory that two kinds of liquor were 
known to the ancients, — the one Intoxicating, 
the other not. We are persuaded also that 
the warnlno-s In the Bible aofalnst the use of 
Intoxicating liquors are much more applicable 
to those In use now than those in use an- 
ciently. And as non-intoxicating drinks are 
practically unknown among us, It is proper to 
denounce the making, vending, and using of 
all fermented drinks for beverages. The In- 



TEMPERANCE. 55 



temperate habit of using strong drink is, we 
may say, the only one which prevails among 
men. Men lose their temper, and quarrel and 
fight ; they lose control of their tongues, and 
whisper and backbite and curse and swear ; 
they lose control of sexual desire, and become 
licentious. But other habits of intemperance 
are so largely the outcome of this one, and 
derive their fuel therefrom, that they lose 
individual importance in presence of it. If 
this monster habit could be destroyed his brood 
would perish for want of sustenance. If the 
Christian would escape " the corruption that Is 
In the world through lust," let him do all in 
his power to banish the liquor traffic from the 
world, with Its allurements to temporal and 
eternal destruction. His personal safety de- 
pends upon its banishment. The devil of 
drink would deceive If possible the very elect. 
He Is a sworn enemy of Christ, the Church, 
Christians, and every Institution which seeks 
to elevate and redeem and bless mankind. 



56 ALL THLNGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

.A person may perhaps drink ''moderately" 
all his life, and still never become a drunkard. 
It is quite remarkable, however, that the Bible, 
which says no drunkard shall inherit the king- 
dom, nowhere indicates how much a person 
may drink and still be innocent. Dr. Har- 
greaves, of Philadelphia, recently related to 
us the following. " The man who served my 
family with milk for a number of years was a 
' moderate drinker.' Being an active man, 
and engaged in active employment, he did not 
feel any symptoms of disease for a long 
period. The time came, however, when his 
stomach suddenly began to reject food. He 
then went abroad for his health ; but after a 
brief stay returned, and in a few weeks died. 
An examination of his stomach was made, 
when it appeared that it had passed through 
several stages of disease, — inflammation, ul- 
ceradon, and finally cancerous affection, by 
which the mucous lining of the stomach was 
destroyed, and the ability to receive and 



TEMPERANCE. 57 



digest food rendered Impossible. The man 
had no pain while all this was going on in his 
stomach, and no unpleasant sensations beyond 
a slight burning sensation in the pit of his 
stomach, and a little dizziness. That moder- 
ate drinker was a suicide." Dr. Hargreaves 
added, "The theory that a man should judge 
by his feelings as to the effects alcohol is 
having on his system is absurd. Alcohol not 
only irritates, but it narcotizes at the same 
time ; and a person may be producing and 
aggravating a disease which will soon result 
in death, and still be unconscious of the fact 
as far as his feelings are concerned." The 
only safety lies in avoiding strong drink alto- 
gether. It would be a fearful thing if one 
should drink " moderately" all his life, and 
imagine himself sinless, and finally knock at 
the door of Heaven for -admittance and be 
told by the Saviour that he could not come in 
because he had been a defiler of the temple 
of the Holy Ghost. It must be remembered 



58 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE, 

that God's ways are not our ways, and his 
thoughts are not our thoughts. What may 
be deemed moderation among men may be 
deemed sacrilege and suicide in Heaven. 
Nothing can be said against the proper me- 
dicinal use of alcohol. Furthermore, those 
who would use a substitute for wine in the 
sacrament are more zealous than wise. They 
set at naught, indeed, the wisdom of Christ. 
Still, the Christian should refuse the "first 
glass" of liquor as a beverage, because to 
take it would be to take the first step towards 
drunkenness. He may never take more than 
the one step. Yet such is the deceitfulness 
of strong drink, that very few who allow them- 
selves to be drawn within the circle of its 
Influence are ever able to tear themselves 
away from Its fatal charms. The Christian's 
prayer Is, "Lead me not into temptation." 
He should not, therefore, voluntarily run Into 
the way of temptation. If a Christian would 
avoid slnninor ao^ainst his neighbor, which Is 



TEMPERANCE. 59 



also slnnine aealnst himself, and a source of 
danger to his spiritual life, he must abstain. 

Every Christian is a "keeper" to his brother 
man, and especially to his brother Christian. 
If drunkenness is so great an evil among 
mankind, — if it produces a large percentage 
of all the criminals in the country, and also 
of all the sorrow, and disease, and deaths, — 
he who professes a religion of " good will to 
men," a " pure and undefiled" religion, may 
not encourao^e an unbelieving world to gfo on 



in sin by his example. Neither may he cause 
his brethren in the Church who are weak in 
the grace of temperance to fall. He may not 
even offend the moral sense of those brethren 
who are shocked when they see or hear of a 
Church member using intoxicating drink as a 
beverage. Above all. Christian parents should 
seek to be free from responsibility for the 
weakness and vices of their children through 
hereditary taint. A man may drink moder- 
ately and steadily all his life with no apparent 



6o ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

harm to himself, but, as one remarks, "his 
daughters become nervous wrecks, his sons 
epileptics, libertines, or incurable drunkards, — 
the hereditary tendency to crime having its 
pathology and unvaried laws, like scrofula, 
consumption, or any other purely physical 
disease." 

When St. John tells us " to love not the 
world, neither the things that are in the 
world," he does not expect us to drive from 
our heart every object of affection and leave 
it void ; with a capacity to love, but that 
capacity never filled ; with a desire, but that 
desire never satisfied. He knew the human 
heart too well to make any such demands. 
He therefore offers God as a more worthy 
and soul-satisfying object than the world. 

To excel in temperance, the Christian must 
allow the expulsive power of a new affection 
to so operate in his entire being that he shall 
'' Love not the world, neither the things that 
are in the world. If any man love the world, 



TEMPERANCE. 6[ 



the love of the Father is not In him. For all 
that Is In the world, the lust of the flesh, and 
the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Is not 
of the Father, but Is of the world. And the 
world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but 
he that doeth the will of God abldeth forever" 
(i John II. 15). "Now the works of the flesh 
are manifest, which are these. Adultery, for- 
nication, uncleanness, lasclviousness, Idolatry, 
witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, 
strife, seditions, heresies, envylngs, murders, 
drunkenness, revelllngs, and such like : of the 
which I tell you before, as I have also told you 
in time past, that they which do . such things 
shall not Inherit the kingdom of God. But 
the fruit of the Spirit Is love, joy, peace, long- 
suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meek- 
ness, temperance" (Gal. v. 19-23). 

" The coming man will bravely stand, 
Without the wine-glass in his hand, 
A sun-crowned chieftain of the land ; 
A land-mark, like the lofty pine, 
6 



62 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

Which lifts on high its plumes of fir, 
Whose root no fickle winds can stir; 
He like an upright worshipper, 
Will never stoop to taste of wine. 

'' Strong of body, strong of soul, 
Firm of purpose to control. 
He will spurn the tempting bowl 

In the shadow of the vine. 
No taint of wine in his full brains. 
No trembling hand will hold the reins 

When he who rules shall drink no wine." 

Geo. IV. Bimgay 



PATIENCE, 



THERE are several words in the New Tes- 
tament translated patience having differ- 
ent shades of meaning. These are [xaxpoOujua, 
which means anger put far away, or slowness 
of avenging injuries ; a'^t'^uay.oq, which means 
simply holding one's self up in the midst of 
evils ; e-'.-ur^^, which means enduring injuries 
without noisy demonstration, but with gentle- 
ness ; o-o>j.oWi, which means waiting the Issues 
of afflictions. This last word is used to dis- 
tinguish the grace of patience. It occurs 
throughout the New Testament much more 
frequently than any of the others. It seems 
to be the word which best expresses the es- 
sential Idea of patience. For in many cases 

63 



64 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

where we might expect to find the more spe- 
cific words above mentioned we find this word, 
as though, having a generic meaning, It might 
be properly used to express any Idea attach- 
ing to patience ; the particular idea being left 
determinable by the context. The essential 
idea of patience is waiting. Patience excludes 
all idea of revenge and noisy demonstration, 
and includes the holding one's self firmly up 
in the midst of the ills of life and biding God's 
time. The patient Christian quietly endures 
what he cannot but wish otherwise, whether it 
be the withholding of promised good or the 
infliction of positive ill. 

The cultivation of this grace is absolutely 
necessary, because of two peculiarities of the 
Faith-life: ist. The believer's salvation is more 
in hope than as yet in actual possession. 2d. 
The Faith-life Is Inseparable from trial. 

The believer's salvation Is more in hope 
than as yet in actual possession. Thus it is 
said, " We are saved by hope ! But hope that 



PA TIENCE. 65 



is seen, Is not hope : for what a man seeth, 
why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope 
for that we see not, then do we with patience 
wait for it" (Rom. viii. 24, 25). The behever 
has justification, adoption, and sanctlfication, 
and the several benefits which in this hfe do 
either accompany or flow from them ; but he 
has not yet received '' the end of his faith." 
He lives in the expectation of future good; of 
" the glory to be hereafter revealed in him." 
Deliverance from the weakness and infirmi- 
ties of the body, freedom from sin, confirma- 
tion in holiness, participation in the joys of 
Heaven, all this is withheld. The believer 
may properly wish to go to Heaven to escape 
" the corruption that is in the world through 
lust." Paul doubtless did when he cried out, 
" O wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver 
me from the body of this death ?" (Rom. vii. 
24). He may properly wish to behold his 
Saviour, and enjoy the society of the re- 
deemed. Paul says he had a desire to depart 

6* 



66 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

and be with Christ (Phil. i. 23). But he must 
be content to remain, doing his duty actively 
and intelligently, until God calls him. He 
must quietly endure the withholding of prom- 
ised good. The trial of his faith is much 
more precious than that of gold, which per- 
isheth, because through it the graces are devel- 
oped, and particularly the grace of patience. 
"The trying of your faith worketh patience. 
But let patience have her perfect work, that 
ye may be perfect and entire, wanting no- 
thing" (James i. 3, 4). 

In the Christian life not only is promised 
good withheld, but positive ill is inflicted. 
" Many are the afflictions of the righteous" 
(Psalm xxxiv. 19). The mystery of God's 
providence in the suffering of the good is 
hard to deal with, though we have the solution 
in Scripture, '' No chastening for the present 
seemeth to be joyous, but grievous" (Heb. 
xii. 11). To say, ''evil is good when it comes 
from God," is not strictly scriptural and true. 



FA TIENCE. 6y 



Evil is none the less evil because God sends 
it, or because it effects good. Job said, 
" What ! shall we receive good at the hand 
of God, and shall we not receive evil ?" (Job 
ii. lo.) If those things Avhich try us are good 
then they should be desired. It is not said 
that any of the Scripture worthies ever de- 
sired to be afflicted. It is rather taught that 
afflictions are to be dreaded because of their 
very nature, and because of the possibility 
that we may not be equal to trial. Indeed, if 
afflictions were regarded as good, they could 
not have their legitimate effect. The Psalmist 
prays, " Consider mine affliction and deliver 
me" (Psalm cxix. 153). It is recorded for the 
comfort of the afflicted that God will not suffer 
us to be tempted above that we are able 
(i Cor. X. 13). It is true St. James says, '' My 
brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into 
divers temptations" (James i. 2). He means 
by this, however, diat if trials come upon us 
unexpectedly, without our looking for or in- 



6S ALL Things pertaining to life. 

ducing them, we are to count It cause of 
highest joy, not because they are good, or 
easy to be borne, but because of their good 
effect. " Knowing this, that the trying of your 
faith worketh patience." For the behever to 
be afflicted, and afflicted of God, Is certainly a 
great trial. In the first place, "There Is none 
like him In the earth, a perfect and an upright 
man, one that feareth God and escheweth 
evil." By this Is not meant that he has made 
his heart clean ; he Is free from sin. " There 
abide still some remnants of corruption In 
every part." He Is upright or righteous In the 
all-Important sense. He obeys the great all- 
inclusive command of God. '' This Is the work 
of God, that ye believe on Him whom He 
hath sent" (John vl. 29). Now for such an 
one, who is conscious of his Integrity in this 
respect, to be afflicted in his relatives, or prop- 
erty, or own person, and In all these at once, 
as Is sometimes the case. Is grievous. Again, 
affliction is not of the nature of punishment. 



PA TIENCE. 69 



Sin has been punished "once for all" in Christ. 
There is no longer any condemnation to those 
who are in Christ Jesus. If the believer still 
merited punishment for sin, and afflictions 
were sent as punishments, they could doubt- 
less be easier borne. The sense of justice 
is keen in the believer, and he would take 
his deserts without complaint. But afflictions 
are not punishments, they are chastisements. 
Punishment is evil inflicted in satisfaction of 
justice. Chastisement is evil inflicted for the 
benefit of the sufferer. Still, the evils in- 
flicted seem to be the same in kind and de- 
gree as those inflicted in punishment, and 
the believer is indistinguished from the un- 
believer, as far as the kind and degree of his 
afflictions are concerned. Besides, the reason 
for the special kind and degree of his suffer- 
ings, and for the time and place and circum- 
stances of them, remain hidden. It is because 
chastisement is chastisement that it is hard to 
bear. 



70 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

Further, It is not an enemy, but a friend 
who sends the evil ; not a stranger, but a 
parent. It is one who loves us, and whom we 
love. This is what made the sufferings of 
Job so hard to bear. He knew all the time 
that God was his friend. This is what wrung 
from the suffering Son of God the agonizing 
cry, " My God, my God, why hast thou for- 
saken me,?" The evil which is sent upon the 
righteous is not good. It is meant to be 
looked upon as evil, though the author of it 
is God, and the motive is his love, and the 
end our profit, that we " may be partakers of 
his holiness." 

It is evident, therefore, that the Christian 
has " need of patience." It is through the 
neglect to cultivate, and the imperfect exer- 
cise of this grace that the Christian Choragus 
so often mars the dramatic representation of 
his Faith-life. The grandfather who would 
not endure the noise of his grandchild, marred 
by his impatience a character which was per- 



PA TIENCE. 



haps otherwise blameless and attractive ; and 
created an erroneous idea of Heaven in the 
mind of the little one. 

The practical fruits of this grace are : 
I. Ser entity of temper, — There are many 
trials of temper peculiar to our domestic, so- 
cial, and business relations. In the family, 
children are sometimes disobedient, and pa- 
rents provoking ; servants sometimes men- 
pleasers, and masters unkind and froward. 
In society, the uncultivated and rude are fre- 
quently encountered. In business, it Is often 
necessary to deal with the penurious, over- 
reaching, and mean. To bridle the tongue, 
and keep back the blow. Is not always easy. 
Yet " he that is slow to anger is better than 
the mighty ; and he that ruleth his spirit than 
he that taketh a city" (Prov. xvi. 32). Many 
who endure with fortitude a great trial are 
sometimes entirely vanquished by little an- 
noyances. But he who bears the loss of a 
dear friend by death with patience, and yet 



72 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

flies into a passion at a noisy child or blunder- 
ing servant, shall have his piety suspected. 

It is erroneously thought that ebullitions of 
temper are manifestations of power, and that 
he is weak who shows no spunk. On the con- 
trary, the exercise of self-control, which is not 
the destruction of temper, is the very height 
of power. The cool and collected person 
always has the advantage of his passionate ad- 
versary. The passionate man always speaks 
and acts wildly and blindly, thus wasting his 
resources and helping on his own defeat. 

Dr. Boerhave being asked whether he knew 
what it was to be angry, and by what means 
he had so entirely suppressed that ungovern- 
able passion, answered that he was naturally 
quick of resentment, but that he had by daily 
prayer and meditation at length attained the 
mastery over himself. 

2. Meekness. — This is a riper and richer 
fruit of patience. The meek not only quietly 
endure injury, but they forgive the injurer. 



PATIENCE. 71 



Meekness is not apathy or insensibility. The 
Christian is keenly sensitive to insult or mis- 
representation or slander. It therefore re- 
quires much of the " patience of Christ" to 
exhibit this fruit in any degree of perfection. 
But the Christian must love his enemies ; not 
indeed, with a personal affection, that is not 
required, but with a moral love. He must 
have benignant, compassionate outgoings of 
desire for their good. The Rev. Mr. Dodd, 
a Puritan divine, being assaulted, said, " See 
here ; you have knocked out two of my teeth 
without any just provocation, but if I could do 
your soul good I would give you leave to 
dash out all the rest." " Bless them that curse 
you, do good to them that hate you, and pray 
for them which despitefully use you, and per- 
secute you ; that ye may be the children of 
your Father which is in heaven: for He mak- 
eth his sun to rise on the evil and on the 
good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the 
unjust" (Matt. v. 44, 45). The true and per- 

7 



74 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

feet Son of God, our elder Brother and Ex- 
emplar, was " meek and lowly" during all his 
suffering life, and spent his dying breath in 
praying for his murderers. 

3. Resignation. — There are two extremes 
of danger into which the afflicted are liable 
to fall: I St, of despising affliction; and, 2d, 
of fainting under it. Hence the exhortation, 
" My son, despise not thou the chastening of 
the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked 
of Him" (Heb. xii. 5). Stoicism teaches men 
to submit to the unavoidable necessity by 
which all things are governed. This is very 
far removed from Christian resignation. The 
submissive Christian recognizes the source 
of affliction, that it " cometh not forth of the 
dust," but is sent of a benevolent heavenly 
Father. He recognizes God's sovereignty 
over him and his propriety in him. He 
leaves himself in his hands as in the hands 
of a being "infinite in wisdom, power, holi- 
ness, justice, goodness, and truth," sinking 



PATIENCE. 75 



his will in the will of God. A lady when 
she was ill beine asked whether she wished 
to live or die, replied, " Which God pleaseth." 
"But," said some one standing near, "if God 
were to refer it to you, which would you 
choose?" "Truly," said she, "if God were 
to refer it to me, I would even refer it to 
Him again." Gotthold says, " Let Thy will 
be my heaven ; Thy counsel my wisdom ; Thy 
good pleasure my satisfaction." 

4. Hopefulness. — If the child of God should 
not despise affliction, but derive profit there- 
from through pious resignation, much less 
should he faint under it. Doubtless, many 
afflicted ones have been on the verge of 
despair as they have cried out with David, 
"What profit is there in my blood, when I 
go down to the pit?" (Psalm xxx. 9.) But 
there should be no faintino^ when it is re- 
membered that, ist. Afflictions are to be 
expected, "These things I have spoken unto 
you, that in me ye might have peace. In 



'J 6 ALL TNLNGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of 
good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 
^vi- Zl)' 2d. There is a use of affliction, 
" For whom the Lord loveth He correcteth ; 
even as a father the son in whom he de- 
lighteth" (Prov. iii. 12). "It is good for me 
that I have been afflicted ; that I might learn 
thy statutes" (Psalm cxix. 71). "But if ye 
be without chastisement, whereof all are par- 
takers, then are ye bastards and not sons" 
(Heb. xii. 8). 3d. God mitigates affliction, 
" Nevertheless my loving-kindness will I not 
utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithful- 
ness to fail" (Psalm Ixxxix. 33). 4th. Support 
is promised, "The steps of a good man are 
ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in 
his way. Though he fall, he shall not be 
utterly cast down : for the Lord upholdeth 
him with his hand" (Psalm xxxvii 23, 24). 
"For as the sufferings of Christ abound in 
us, so our consolation aboundeth by Christ" 
(2 Cor. i. 5). 5th. Afflictions will end, "Be- 



PATIENCE. 77 



cause thou shalt forget thy misery, and re- 
member it as waters that pass away" (Job 
xi. 1 6). "For his anger endureth but a 
moment ; in his favor is Hfe : weeping may 
endure for a night, but joy cometh in the 
morning". (Psalm xxx. 5). "For the Lord 
your God is gracious and merciful, and will 
not turn away his face from you, if ye return 
unto Him" (2 Chron. xxx. 9). The believer 
should have songs for every night of sorrow, 
and sing praises in every prison of trial. 
For nothing can separate him from the im- 
mutable love of God, and when he is tried 
he shall come forth as gold. " The sufferings 
of this present time are not worthy to be 
compared with the glory which shall be re- 
vealed in us" (Rom. viii. 18). A consumptive 
disease seized the eldest son and heir of the 
Duke of Hamilton, wdiich ended in his death. 
A little before his departure from the world 
he took his Bible from under his pillow, and 
opened it at the passage, " I have fought a 

7-^ 



78 ALL THLNGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

good fight, I have finished my course, I have 
kept the faith : henceforth there is laid up 
for me a crown of righteousness, which the 
Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at 
that day : and not to me only, but unto them 
also that love his appearing." As death ap- 
proached he called his younger brother to his 
bedside, and addressing him with the greatest 
affection and seriousness, closed with these 
remarkable words : " And now, Douglas, in a 
little time you'll be a duke, but I shall be a 
king." Thus, as Leighton says, '' The world 
dares say no more of its devices than 'dum 
spiro spero' (whilst I breathe I hope) ; but 
the children of God can add by virtue of this 
living hope ' dum expiro spero' (whilst I 
expire I hope)." 

'* Let us run with patience the race set 
before us, looking unto Jesus the author and 
finisher of our faith ; who for the joy that 
was set before Him endured the cross, de- 
spising the shame, and is set down at the 



FA TIENCE. 79 



right hand of the throne of God" (Heb. xll. 

12). 

''Less, less of self each day, 

And more, my God, of Thee ; 
O keep me in the way, 
However rough it be. 

''Less of the flesh each day. 
Less of the world and sin ; 
More of Thy Son I pray. 
More of Thyself within. 

"Riper and riper now 

Each hour let me become, 
Less fit for scenes below. 
More fit for such a home. 

" More moulded to Thy will. 
Lord, let Thy servant be, 
Higher and higher still, 
Liker and liker Thee. 

"Leave nought that is unmeet; 
Of all that is mine own 
Strip me ; and so complete 
My training for the throne." 

Bonar. 



^v. 



GODLINESS. 



THERE Is nothing of the nature of which 
men are so generally Ignorant as god- 
liness. Hence there Is nothing which has 
been the object of so much ridicule and slan- 
der. The existence of godliness has been 
called Into question ; Its foundation has been 
Ignored ; and Its manifestation has been falsi- 
fied. Ages ago the great pioneer In the path- 
way of piety had his motives Impugned, In- 
deed, was called a hypocrite. Satan said, 
*' Doth Job serve God for nought?" A writer 
whose published works have an extensive cir- 
culation, and whose periodical writings enter 
thousands of homes in our land, said recently 
that Scripture piety Is of no use in the hands 
80 



GODLINESS. 



of a llterar}' man. The goodness literary art 
" would depict must be innate and sponta- 
neous, working incalculably and through na- 
tural channels, a law unto itself, or it can 
never be attractive and picturesque." With 
this writer, as with many others like him 
who profess to be teachers of the people, 
through a wilful misunderstanding, godliness 
and gloom are doubtless synonymous. It may 
be granted that they are critics In literary art, 
yet we venture the assertion, notwithstanding 
their authority, that the manhood required by 
Christianity, and depicted in Scripture, might 
worthily attach to the hero of the greatest 
novel yet to be written, and in all that is " at- 
tractive and picturesque" would be surpass- 
ing. There are hypocrites in the Church; 
and the practical fruits of piety appear all too 
seldom. There are those who will pray and 
weep in the prayer-meeting, and lie and wink 
in their counting-houses. There are those 
who will piously address religious assemblies. 



82 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

and buy their way into Congress. Leading 
lights in the Church have recently been con- 
victed of embezzlement, and are now in prison. 
But the counterfeit coin only argues the 
existence of the genuine. And when we see 
an unbeliever looking into the fold of the 
Church, and pointing out for ridicule one and 
another who do not live godly, we say how 
foolish for him to imagine that he can injure 
the Church in that way. He is only holding 
up to ridicule one of his own kind, — a wolf in 
sheep's clothing, — and injuring his own cause 
thereby. 

The majority of men, through enmity against 
God, neglect or refuse to examine godliness 
in its origin, foundation, and manifestation. 
Hence their views concerning It, and their 
manner of treating it. Let the ungodly say 
they prefer worldly joys to the joys of re- 
ligion ; but let them not say religion has no 
enjoyments. The believer who has tasted 
both worldly and religious pleasures is the 



GODLINESS. 83 

only competent judge in the matter. His 
verdict Is, — 

'' 'Tis religion that can give sweetest pleasure while we 
live, 
'Tis religion can supply solid comfort when we die." 

I. Godliness has Its orlein In a knowledee 
of revealed truth. Thus It Is said, "And with- 
out controversy great Is the mystery of godli- 
ness : God was manifest In the flesh, justified 
In the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto 
the Gentiles, believed on In the world, received 
up Into glory" (i Timothy III. 16). A mystery 
is a matter to the knowledge of which initia- 
tion is necessary. Godliness is therefore some- 
thing which would have remained a secret 
but for the revelation of God In Christ. 
Through the gospel men learn the character 
and will of the true God, and the way in which 
they may approach Him. Had the gospel 
never been preached there could not have 
been any true godliness. The heathen are 



84 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

godly. Virgil's hero is called "pious ^neas." 
But the heathen ignorantly worship '* the un- 
known god," and with them morality is dis- 
joined from religion. There was true piety 
among the ancient covenant people, because 
Christ was partly revealed. But the piety of 
the "devout person" of patriarchal and even 
later times was of a peculiar type. It felt the 
exclusiveness and restrictions of his national 
isolation, and needed the light and warmth 
of fuller and clearer revelation. When Christ 
began to live and preach, the influence of his 
life and doctrine was at once apparent. The 
narrow-mindedness, exclusiveness, and self- 
righteousness of the Jew were supplanted by 
the liberality, charity, and humility of the 
Christian. 

II. The foundation of godliness is a right 
state of heart towards God. There are two 
different words in the New Testament trans- 
lated godliness or piety, Stoai^zia, compounded 
of Btoq, God, and oz^izo), to fear ; and zbai^zw., 



GODLINESS. 85 



compounded of to, well, and (tz^j-w, to fear. The 
former occurs but twice, w^hen it is used in a 
specific sense to denote zuorsJiip. Euaifitia with 
its cognates, is of frequent occurrence. It 
means fearing well or truly, and wdien used 
of men towards God, it means fearing God 
truly, or godliness. There is a w^ord in the 
Old Testament, in two or three instances 
translated godly, the root-meaning of which 
is zeal. Still, there is a phrase of frequent 
occurrence in the Old Testament which ex- 
actly corresponds with the idea expressed in 
Eoai^jzia, viz., " The fear of the Lord^' w^hich 
generally means a right state of heart towards 
God as opposed to the alienation of an un- 
converted man. All that is said in the Old 
Testament of the origin, nature, effects, and 
advantages of this fear corresponds with what 
in the New Testament is said about o-odliness. 
Though the word is fear, it is the submissive, 
filial fear of a confiding child, who peacefully 
leaves himself in a father's arms. x\ll that 

8 



86 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

God is, Inspires awe ; all that God has done 
for men as a Father in Christ Jesus, inspires 
love. " No man hath seen God at any time ; 
the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom 
of the Father, He hath declared Him" (John i. 
1 8). But when once the revelation is made, the 
soul falls in wonder, gratitude, praise, and trust 
at the feet of his Redeemer. To glorify God 
and enjoy Him forever is seen to be the chief 
and highest end of man. Erroneous views 
of godliness have their origin in erroneous 
views of God, who is the confidence of the 
believer. The idea of God which the exclu- 
sive study of nature gives us is true, but in- 
complete. That God is, nature clearly teaches: 
"The heavens declare his glory;" that there 
is one God is evident from the unity of de- 
sign in the works of creation ; that He is wise 
is evident from the adaptation of means to 
ends ; that He is good is clear from the abun- 
dant provision made to promote the happiness 
of his creatures. But nature does not reveal 



GODLINESS. ^7 



the most blessed attribute of the Deity, his 
grace. 

"To him who in the love of nature holds 
Communion with her visible forms, she speaks 
A various language." 

But in her lanoruao-e there are no such words 

o o 

as ReconciHation, Pardon, Peace, Heaven. 
The deist may look up to God as the wise 
and good Creator, but he can never love and 
trust Him, because he ignores a revelation 
of his mercy in Christ. ''We love Him be- 
cause He first loved us" (i John iv. 19). 

The idea of God which the study of man as 
distinct from nature gives is true, but likewise 
incomplete. The physiologist and psychol- 
ogist have failed to discover those attributes 
of God which men most need to become 
acquainted with. So far from finding any 
"innate and spontaneous goodness, working 
incalculably, and by natural channels, a law 
unto itself, attractive and picturesque," they 



88 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

have only discovered that man as man gives no 
idea of God as infinite in goodness and truth, 
for man is a sinful creature, having a law in 
his members which brings him into captivity 
to the law of sin. The God of the Bible is 
the only object of trust. God in Christ recon- 
ciling the world unto Himself is the object of 
adoring love. The manifestations of Him- 
self have been the great themes of the most 
fascinating history, the loftiest discourse, the 
sublimest poetry, and the most inspiring song. 
The character of God reproduced In the be- 
liever has certainly been the most "attractive 
and picturesque" the world has ever seen. 
Take, for example, the life of Paul. Where 
in all the literature of the world Is there a 
human character, real or imaginary, so " at- 
tractive and picturesque" ? Can the " ruling 
passion" displayed by any hero of novel or 
romance compare for "use in literary art" with 
the controlling principle in the apostle's life ; 
in Its marvellous and mysterious inception on 



GODLINESS. 89 



the way to Damascus, In its absolute control 
of all his faculties and powers, and in its glori- 
ous outworkings in the history of his life and 
labors? Can anything be more "attractive 
and picturesque" than the transforming effect 
of this principle on his soul, as evinced in his 
recorded inward experiences and outward life? 
His inward conflict of soul mio-ht eneaee 
the analytical powers of the greatest literary 
genius. His heroism, activity, self-denial, so- 
ciability, courtesy, gentleness, affability, com- 
bined with the outward circumstances of his 
life ; his travels and perils and hair-breadth 
escapes, make him a hero of the most fasci- 
nating interest. But Paul was simply a godly 
man, exercising godliness. Christian life In 
every believer has the same origin, aim, and 
end. Though the circumstances of the apos- 
tle's birth and the period In which he lived, 
and the particular labor to which he was 
called, combine to lift him above others In the 
history of the Church, there are thousands 



90 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

who, to-day, are living "godly in Christ Jesus." 
They rest in Him alone for salvation, and draw 
their spiritual strength from Him, and their 
lives are true and beautiful and good. 

III. The manifestations of godliness or prac- 
tical fruits of the grace are to be considered. 

The distinctive characteristic of Christianity 
is, that while other founders stand outside and 
point to their systems, Jesus Christ is the 
centre of his ; so that to believe in Christianity 
is to believe in Christ, and to be a Christian 
is to be like Christ. St. Paul says, *' For to 
me to live is Christ" (Phil. i. 21). "I Hve, yet 
not I, but Christ liveth in me" (Gal. ii. 20). 

Godliness involves, therefore, 

I. Consecration. — This first great act of the 
follower of Christ has lost much of Its primi- 
tive import. Many now are like Ananias and 
Sapphira. They profess to bring all to Christ, 
in token whereof they connect themselves 
with the Church, which does not involve any 
great personal inconvenience in these times, 



GODLINESS. 91 



but they " keep back part of the price." Some 
portion of love, or time, or abihty, or wealth 
is retained for unchristian purposes. 

The consecration must be personal. The 
blood of the ram of consecration was put 
upon the ear, the hand, and the foot of Aaron, 
consecrating all the organs of his body, and 
the receptive, executive, and subordinate facul- 
ties of his soul. Aaron's consecration is typi- 
cal of that of Christians, who are all priests 
unto God, consecrated by the blood of Christ. 
It must also be inclusive. When Christ called 
the early disciples, they "left all and followed 
Him." They did not stop to consider what 
would become of their nets, or ships, or fami- 
lies. If Christ could be better served either 
in taking them or leaving them behind, they 
were willing to do either. When our Lord 
told the rich good young man to sell all that 
he had and come follow Him, we are not cer- 
tain that He would have required him to do 
It had he been willing. He did, however, wish 



92 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

to Impress this truth upon his mind, and upon 
the minds of all who, like him, have posses- 
sions, that everything belongs to God, and 
that perfect willingness to part with posses- 
sions when required must characterize all who 
would inherit eternal life. The Master does 
not require us to stop making money or to 
stop using the good things of this life for our 
comfort and happiness ; but He does require 
us to consider all we have and are as his, and 
that we are simply " stewards of the manifold 
grace of God." It is folly for Christians to 
pray God to hasten the latter-day glory of the 
Church, while they cause the great work of 
the Church to be Impeded for want of any- 
thing belonging to Christ, which they fraudu- 
lently keep in their own possession. 

2. Fellowship with Christ. — Enoch walked 
with God. Mary sat at the feet of Jesus. 
John leaned upon his bosom. "Truly our 
fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son 
Jesus Christ" (i John I. 3). We cannot be 



GODLINESS. 93 



with Christ as though He were here in bodily 
presence, and sit at his feet and listen to the 
words of heavenly wisdom as they fall from 
his lips ; and wander with Him over the hills, 
and through the valleys, and drink in the pre- 
cious lessons, drawn from field and flower and 
tree and bird and rock and running brook, and 
hear Him talk of his Father and our Father. 
If, however, we give ourselves up to the guid- 
ance of that blessed Spirit who " takes of the 
things of Christ and shows them unto us," 
reminding us of what Christ said and did, 
and how He acted ; if by prayer we make 
known our requests unto Jesus, and lay on 
Him the burden of our hearts ; if in attend- 
ance on the ordinances of his house we behold 
the beauty of the Lord, and our souls are 
lifted above the cares and labors and trials of 
earth, and we go back to our daily duties 
strong in the Lord and in the power of his 
might; finally, if through Christian commu- 
nion we see in our brethren Christ's image, 



94 ALL THLNGS PERTAINLNG TO LLFE. 

and are assisted on the way to Heaven by 
their precept and example, we have fellowship 
with Christ. 

3. Imitation of Christ. — It is the glory of 
our blessed religion that its divine Founder 
has been among us, and left us an example 
that we should walk in his steps. We know 
little of God except as He shines in the face 
of Jesus Christ. But God in Christ we can 
know, and in a measure understand. It is not 
an abstraction that we are called upon to imi- 
tate, not an ideal, but a living personal reality. 
Some would say that Christ is too pure and 
exalted for us to imitate. To fold our hands 
In such a belief is to doubt the words of 
Christ, to misconceive the spirit of Chris- 
tianity, and to slight the power of the Holy 
Ghost. The apostles everywhere set forth 
Christ as an example. ''Let this mind be in 
you, which was also in Christ Jesus" (Phil. ii. 5). 
The Christian must be like Christ : 
(i) In his self-denial. "Who being in the 



GODLINESS. 95 



form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal 
with God, but made Himself of no reputation, 
and took upon Him the form of a servant, and 
was made in the likeness of men" (Phil. ii. 6, 7). 

(2) In his conse citation to the service of God. 
He came not to do his own will, but the will 
of Him that sent Him (John v. 30). 

(3) In his obedience. He became obedient 
unto death (Phil. ii. 8). 

(4) In his activity. " I must be about my 
Father's business" (Luke ii. 49). 

(5) In his zeal. "The zeal of thine house 
hath eaten me up" (John ii. 17). 

(6) In his mei^cy. He went about doing 
good (Acts X. 38). 

(7) In his meekness. " Who, when He was 
reviled, reviled not again ; when He suffered, 
He threatened not" (i Peter, ii. 23). 

(8) \x\]\\'s,forgive7iess. "Father, forgive them; 
for they know not what they do" (Lukexxiii. 34). 

(9) \n\{\?, all-embracing love. " He laid down 
his life for the sheep" (John x. 15). 



96 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

"The grace of God that bringeth salvation 
hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, 
denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we 
should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in 
this present world" (Titus ii. ii, 12). 

'' O happy day that fixed my choice 

On Thee, my Saviour and my God ! 
Well may this glowing heart rejoice, 
And tell its raptures all abroad. 

" 'Tis done, the great transaction's done, 
I am my Lord's, and He is mine ; 
He drew me, and I followed on. 

Charmed to confess the voice divine. 

" Now rest, my long-divided heart ; 
Fixed on this blissful centre, rest ; 
Nor ever from thy Lord depart, 

With Him of every good possessed. 

'* High heaven, that heard the solemn vow, 
That vow renewed shall daily hear, 
Till in life's latest hour I bow. 

And bless in death a bond so dear." 

Doddridge. 



•v^i. 



BROTHERLY KINDNESS. 



TF a man say, I love God, and hateth his 
1 brother, he is a liar : for he that loveth 
not his brother whom he hath seen, how can 
he love God whom he hath not seen ?" (i John 
iv. 20.) Godliness is therefore qualified and 
completed by brotherly kindness, or rather 
Brotherly love, as the word (ftkadtXcpta should 
be translated. 

(PiladtXcfia Is used to denote that affection which 
a Church member should always feel towards 
his fellow-members. It is an affection which 
includes complacency and delight in its object, 
with the desire of possession and communion. 
We 's.'d.y fellozv-members advisedly. For though 
some Church members are not true Christians, 

9 97 



98 ALL THINGS PERTAINLNG TO LLFE. 

no individual believer has the authority or 
right to determine for himself those towards 
whom he shall exercise this grace. The keys 
of the kingdom of Heaven are in the hands 
of the collective body of believers, and those 
only whom they exclude by a proper course 
and in an authoritative manner are unentitled 
to fellow^ship. Further, we say Church mem- 
bers, for though there may be real Christians 
outside of the Church, they who refuse to 
wear the badge of discipleship cannot expect 
to be recoenized. Indeed, the Saviour ex- 
eludes such. " And he that taketh not his 
cross, and foUoweth after me, is not worthy 
of me" (Matt. x. 38). "He that denieth me 
before men, shall be denied before the angels 
of God" (Luke xii. 9). 

The proper exercise of Brotherly love on 
the part of believers will do more than any- 
thing else towards confirminof themselves in 
the faith, and recommending the beauty and 
consistency of the Christian religion to others. 



BROTHERLY KINDNESS. 99 

Hence our Saviour asks In his intercessory 
prayer for the manifest unity of his followers, 
giving as his reason, " That the world may 
believe" (John xvii. 21). 

The basis for the exercise of this grace Is 
the tinity of believers. Believers are one in 
Christ. The Scriptures declare that our re- 
lation to Christ is analogous to our relation 
to Adam. Adam was the natural and federal 
head and representative of mankind. Hence 
all are united through him in the same natu- 
ral and spiritual condition. Christ, by God's 
sovereign appointment, is the second Adam. 
He is the federal head and representative of 
mankind. Hence all are united with Him in 
the same sufferings and obedience. The word 
'W/" which the apostle uses in the eighteenth 
verse of the fifth chapter of Romans, can have 
no limitation except that which the Bible 
places upon it. There is one limitation, and 
but one. In the case of adults, those only are 
righteous who are such through an imputation 



100 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

of Christ's sufferings and obedience received 
by faith. Through faith the vital union is 
consummated. God looks upon all v^ho are 
in Christ by " abundance of grace" and by 
faith just as if they w^ere Christ Himself. 
What Christ has done and is, they have done 
and are. Moreover, by a gracious act of 
God, rendered possible by this substitution 
of Christ, believers are formally introduced 
into sonship and heirship. "As many as 
received Him, to them gave He power to 
become the sons of God, even to them that 
believe on his name" (John i. 12). They also 
have a community of spiritual life in Christ. 
Jesus prayed that believers might be one, as 
He and the Father are one (John xvii. 21). 

The oneness of believers is therefore a re- 
flection of that which subsists between the 
Father and the Son. It is not merely a moral 
union of sympathy, but the union of a com- 
mon life. It is likened to the union which 
subsists between the vine and the branches 



BROTHERLY KINDNESS. 10 1 

(John XV.). As the same sap which flows 
through the vine, enters the branches and 
gives to all a common nourishment, and form, 
and fruitfulness, so the same spiritual life 
which is in Christ flows into every believer, 
and makes them one in thought, feeling, and 
action. 

The relation of believers to Christ through 
a participation in his merits, and through the 
grace of adoption and the indwelling of the 
Holy Ghost, presupposes and conditions Chris- 
tian union, and is the basis for the exercise 
and manifestation of Brotherly love. It would 
be folly to urge the exercise of this grace, 
could it not be based on this solid ground. 
Wolves and sheep cannot be brought to- 
gether in harmony. Their natures are op- 
posed. Those who affiliate must have the 
same views and purposes and aims. It is the 
purpose of God " to gather together in one 
all things in Christ" (Eph. I. lo). Christ is 
the divine harmony of all human discords, and 

9* 



102 ALL THINGS PERTAINLWG TO LIFE. 

especially of the discords of his people, who 
are one among themselves just in proportion 
as they are one with Him. The hope that 
Christians will ultimately *' superabound in this 
grace," and the effort to attain apparent unity, 
are inspired by this doctrine. 

This unity, which is the basis for the exer- 
cise of Brotherly love, does not imply a visible 
centre. The Church of Rome claims to be 
the visible centre of Christian union, and pro- 
nounces those heretics who are not members 
of her communion. Her claim is arrogant 
and unfounded. It does not imply a particu- 
lar form of government, as prelacy, or presby- 
tery : ox o{ worship, as liturgical or non-liturgi- 
cal. There was, as appears from the history 
of the Apostolic Church, considerable differ- 
ence between the Jewish Christian and the 
Gentile Christian type of Christianity, be- 
tween the doctrinal systems of Paul and 
James, and yet there was essential unity and 
harmony. The liberty into which Christians 



BR O THERL V KINDNESS. 1 03 

are emancipated implies variety of types and 
phases of Christian Hfe ; and the diffusion of 
Christianity among so many different peoples, 
and kindred, and tongues, is the occasion of 
the variety. "Christian union and Christian 
liberty are not contradictory, but complement- 
ary and mutually sustaining forces." Be- 
lievers are, therefore, exhorted to stand fast 
in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made 
them free (Gal. v. 1). 

There must, however, be an outward mani- 
festation of unity in order that the world may 
be affected by it. There was such a manifes- 
tation in the Apostolic Church (Acts ii. 46, 47; 
iv. 32). In the times of persecution the 
heathen used to exclaim, " How these Chris- 
tians love one another ! and how they are 
ready to die for one another !" Sectarian 
strifes have prevailed during the whole history 
of Christianity, and do still exist ; and yet the 
unity of Christians has never entirely disap- 
peared ; and at the present day the attention 



I04 ALL THLNGS PERTALNLNG TO LLFE. 

of the Church is turned towards the doctrine, 
and an almost united effort is being made to 
promote "the unity of the Spirit in the bonds 
of peace." We trust that this effort shall in- 
crease and widen until unity shall be full real- 
ized. Not in an outward organic union. We 
do not think the Scriptures urge to this, or 
even indicate the possibility of it. But a 
union which shall cement in one holy brother- 
hood all divisions and denominations, so that 
whoever is a Church member in one place or 
part of the w^orld shall be a member in any 
and every other place or part, and be per- 
mitted to claim and enjoy the benefits of 
Christian communion. At the present day 
that portion of the Creed which says, "I be- 
lieve in the Holy Catholic Church, in the com- 
munion of saints," and which is pronounced 
every Sabbath in many churches, means in the 
mouths of those who repeat it only, "I believe 
in the Church which has the same standards 
and form of government and worship as my 



BROTHERLY KINDNESS. 105 

own, and In the communion of the members 
of my own denomination or division." A Ger- 
man of ordinary Intelligence recently came 
before the Consistory of the church of w^hlch 
the writer Is pastor asking admission Into 
membership. He had been a member of the 
Church In Germany. During the examina- 
tion he remarked that he could not accept that 
portion of the Creed which reads, "I believe 
In the Holy Catholic Church." It w^as neces- 
sary, therefore, to explain that It did not refer 
to the Church of Rome, but to the Universal 
Church, composed of "all those throughout 
the w^orld that profess the true religion, to- 
gether wdth their children." It might have 
been intimated to him, had he been " able to 
bear It," that Romanists properly belonged to 
this Universal Church, and that some of them 
were no doubt w'orthy of his brotherly love. 
If all divisions and denominations could be 
brought to really unite on the Creed, the 
desire of Christ would be fulfilled. 



I06 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

The practical fruits of Brotherly love will 
appear in : 

I. Courtesy of demeanor towards one an- 
other, — St. Peter says, '' Love as brethren, 
be pitiful, be courteous!' St. Paul says, " Be 
kindly affectioned one to another with broth- 
erly love ; ill honor preferring one another!' 
The low and indefinite view of the doctrine 
of unity has forbidden the manifestation of 
that respect for one another in which Chris- 
tians should be beforehand. It is sometimes 
manifested in saying " brother" or '' sister," 
or " brethren." Yet this custom is generally 
looked upon as affectation even by the 
"brethren." If one cannot use those words 
sincerely he had better not use them. But 
if he can use them sincerely, let him persist 
in the use. He has Scripture warrant. If 
Christians would be respected, let them re- 
spect one another by showing one another 
all those attentions which their station de- 
mands. Believers are sons and daughters 



BROTHERLY KINDNESS. lO/ 

of the Lord Almighty. This renders them, 
like princes of the blood, worthy of the 
highest marks of respect. In the greetings 
and intercourse of Christians there should be 
a heartiness, and kindliness, and sympathy, 
and respecfulness surpassing all that is wit- 
nessed among natural friends. It Is said of 
that German schoolmaster, John Trebonlus, 
the instructor of Martin Luther, that he 
always appeared before his boys with un- 
covered head. "Who can tell," said he, "what 
may yet rise up amid these youths? There 
may be among them those who shall be 
learned doctors, sage legislators, nay, princes 
of the empire." If Trebonlus thus respected 
children because of what they might become, 
how ought those to be respected who are al- 
ready "kings and priests unto God" ! If Chris- 
tians should now begin to manifest the cour- 
tesy called for in the Scriptures, they would at 
first be met with a smile of incredulity even 
by their brethren. But they should begin. 



I08 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

It would ultimately raise the Christian pro- 
fession to its proper dignity and most favor- 
ably impress the world. Why should the 
grips and recognizing signs and words of 
secret fraternities be longer regarded as 
evidence of a more real brotherhood than 
that founded by Christ? 

2. Ca7x of one ajioihei^'s temporal welfare, 
— It is said of the Apostolic Church, '' And 
the multitude of them that beheved were 
of one heart and of one soul: neither said 
any of them that ought of the things which 
he possessed was his own ; but they had all 
things common" (Acts iv. 32). This state of 
things is not to be confounded with a commu- 
nistic society of the present day. There was 
no common habitation or place of residence, 
no negation of individual rights of property, 
no interference with the family relation. Peter 
said to Ananias, when he had brought part of 
the purchase price of his possession and laid 
it at the apostle's feet, pretending that it was 



BR O THERL V KINDNESS. 1 09 

the whole, "While It remained was it not thine 
own, and after it was sold was it not in thine 
own power?" In other words, You were not 
obliged to sell your property ; and even after 
you had sold it, you might have kept a portion 
or all of the purchase-m.oney. This custom 
of not calling or considering their possessions 
their own was a spontaneous, voluntary, un- 
preconcerted affair ; the result of a miracu- 
lous outpouring of the Spirit, who quickened 
most powerfully every grace, and especially 
the grace of Brotherly love. This led them 
to adopt an extraordinary measure for ce- 
menting together all believers. This measure 
proved to be just what was needed to give 
Christianity its first impetus. Events which 
grew out of this custom were the occasion of 
preventing hypocrites from joining the Church, 
and of causing true believers in great multi- 
tudes to be added to the Lord. The apostles 
had nothing to do with originating this cus- 
tom. They would have been powerless to 

10 



no ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

prevent this manifestation of Brotherly love. 
It was rooted in faith, and quickened into 
activity by the Holy Ghost. They could only 
regulate it. Now the same principle which 
was in the early Christians should be in and 
actuate all believers, everywhere, and con- 
tinually. The way in which the principle shall 
manifest itself in the organic body must be 
left to spiritual guidance. In Christian lands 
the poor are generally provided for by tax. 
Doubtless some imagine they free themselves 
from all obligation when they pay in their 
assessment. Perhaps they do free them- 
selves to a certain extent. But taxes are not 
paid voluntarily. Even their prompt payment 
does not indicate a gracious spirit. While, 
therefore, we question the propriety, and even 
the right, of a particular church to allow a 
member to become a town charge, we affirm 
that this method of entirely disposing of a 
needy brother is unchristian. Whatever course 
the Church may pursue in the case of its 



BROTHERL V KI AD NESS. 1 I I 

needy members, a sense of individual obliga- 
tion must possess Christian brethren. We 
have often questioned the right of Church 
members to unite with secret fraternities, not 
because there is anything demoralizing con- 
nected with them, but because it turns into 
another channel the enterprise, energy, and 
money which should flow through the Church. 
Freemasons and others have met us with the 
forcible reply, that Brotherly love such as 
they feel the need of, to take them by the 
hand, and give them the preference in busi- 
ness transactions, and assist them to advance 
in the world, and stand bv their families in 
case of need, is only an idea in the Church. 
They say their brotherhoods meet a yearning 
and felt want which the Church does not. We 
confess to have known a particular church to 
refuse to pay a portion of the funeral ex- 
penses of a poor, but truly worthy, deceased 
member. On the other hand, we know per- 
sonally a Mason who has more than once 



112 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

burled a brother at his own expense. We 
have often smiled when thinking of the per- 
plexity which the wife of an intimate friend 
told us she was once in, when she discovered 
a bill for a coffin among her husband's re- 
ceipts. Still, it must be remembered that 
Christians perform many acts of Brotherly 
love which are never made public. Indeed, 
they are taught never to let their left hand 
know what their right hand doeth. But gen- 
erally they are far below the Bible require- 
ir.ent. They do not always, as they might 
when other things are equal, give the prefer- 
ence to a Christian employee. Few will lend 
money to an honest, industrious fellow-Chris- 
tian to help him along, even at seven per 
cent., if they can get ten per cent, of a soul- 
less corporation. It is true Church members 
are sometimes eye-servants, and sometimes 
false to their agreements and trusts. But it 
may be replied that they are not properly 
encouraged. The successful business man, 

o 



BRO THERL \ ' KhXDNESS. 



I I 



whether honestly so or not, is the one to 
whom Christians, hke all others, resort. It 
is not surprising, therefore, that Christians 
are generally the struggling poor. Let Chris- 
tians give one another the preference in all 
business transactions, and they will increase in 
business ability, and Integrity, and in wealth ; 
and the Church will become more and more 
a power in the world. When it is a matter 
of absolute need, refusal to help a needy 
brother is Incompatible with love to God. 
" Whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his 
brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels 
of compassion from him, how dwelleth the 
love of God In him?" (i John HI. 17.) 

3. Care of one another s spiriUtal inter'ests. 
— Believers are the body of Christ and mem- 
bers In particular. So close and indissoluble 
is the union, that if one member suffer all suf- 
fer, and if one be honored all rejoice. This 
care is therefore a matter of faithfulness to 

Christ, of regard for one another, and love for 

10* 



114 ALL THLNGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

the Church as a whole. The aim of Chris- 
tians should be to escape " the corruption that 
is in the world through lust," and to have 
an abundant entrance into Heaven. They 
must, therefore, " follow after the things where- 
with one may edify another" (Rom. xiv. 19). 
They must not cease to make mention of 
one another in their prayers, nor forsake the 
assembling of themselves together for spirit- 
ual conference. They must admonish one an- 
other in the spirit of meekness, and exhort one 
another daily, lest any be hardened through 
the deceitfulness of sin. The feeble-minded 
must be comforted, the weak held up, and the 
afflicted visited and cheered. '' Let us con- 
sider one another to provoke unto love and 
to good works" (Heb. x. 24). The humblest 
member may not be overlooked. The most 
exalted needs the benefit of mutual Christian 
watchfulness. This care should embrace all 
believers everywhere. It should overleap the 
boundaries of communities and states and 



BR O THERL V KINDNESS. 1 1 5 

nations, especially In giving aid to fellow- 
Chrlstlans In destitute parts to obtain and 
secure the means of erace. 

"A new commandment I give unto you, 
That ye love one another ; as I have loved 
you, that ye also love one another" (John xlll. 
34). "In this the children of God are mani- 
fest, and the children of the clevll : whoso 
doeth not righteousness Is not of God, neither 
he that loveth not his brother" (i John HI. 10). 
" We know that we Jiave passed from death 
unto life, because we love the brethren" (i 
John III. 14). "My little children, let us not 
love In word, neither In tongue ; but In deed 
and In truth" (i John HI. 18). '' Beloved, let 
us love one another: for love Is of God" (i 
John iv. 7). 

" Churches and sects strike down 
Each i?tean partition-wall ; 
Let love each harsher feeling drown, — 
Christians are brothers all. 



Il6 ALL THLNGS PERTALNING TO LIFE. 

''Let love and truth alone 

Hold human hearts in thrall, 
That Heaven its work at length may own, 
And men be brothers all." 

Johns. 



CHARITY. 



THE word translated charity Is aya-r^. ex- 
actly answering to the plain English word 
love. It Is so rendered In all the older trans- 
lations of the Bible. The alteration was prob- 
ably first made in the year 1649, and has been 
since retained. Charity Is the Latin word 
charitas, which means love Anglicized, and 
conveys no more meaning to the English 
reader than the original Greek. John Wesley 
long ago deplored this misleading translation, 
and said that it not only misled ordinary men 
and women, but also the educated. He said, 
" I have heard many sermons preached from 
the word, particularly before the University 
of Oxford, and I never heard more than one 



17 



Il8 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

wherein the meaning of it was not totally mis- 
represented. But had the old and proper word 
love been retained, there would have been no 
room for misrepresentation." Perhaps in our 
day, when Bible study more generally engages 
all classes, there is not so much liability to err 
in the matter. Still, it is to be hoped that 
the international committee now revising the 
Scriptures will throw out the offending word. 
Even two centuries of use cannot hallow a 
word which misleads. 

There are two words meaning love com- 
mon in both Classic and New Testament 
Greek, viz., (fdio) and aya-da). (Puioj occurs more 
frequently in Classic Greek than aya-do}. It im- 
plies affection generally. The common token 
of this love is the kiss. It does not occur very 
frequendy in the New Testament. Though 
when appropriated by the sacred writers it 
became sanctified, yet doubtless, because it 
was earthly and associated in the minds of 
men with impurity as well as purity, the Spirit 



CHARITY. 119 



of Inspiration chose to use It Infrequently. 
There Is a remarkable instance of the dis- 
crimination between ifiUu) and aya-axo In John 
xl. 5. It is said, " Now Jesus loved Martha, 
and her sister, and Lazarus." Here where we 
might expect to find (pCUu), to denote the love 
of friends, we find a-ya-du). May not (fdiio have 
been laid aside and aya-dw substituted that the 
possibility of Imputing anything but the purest 
affection between Jesus of Nazareth and the 
sisters of Bethany might be forestalled ? That 
aya-du) Is the Supreme word appears to us from 
two other remarkable discriminations. 

(i) In John xxl. 15-17, a farewell conversa- 
tion between our Lord and Peter is recorded, 
in which Christ asks Peter three dififerent 
times if he loves Him. The first question Is, 
" Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou (^aya-aq) me 
more than these?" to which Peter replies, 
" Yea, Lord ; thou knowest that I love {(ftXcu) 
Thee." The second question is, " Simon, son 
of Jonas, lovest thou (^aya-aq) me ?" Peter re- 



120 ALL TLLINGS FERTALNING TO LLFE. 

plies, " Yea, Lord ; Thou knowest that I love 
{(fiXoj) Thee." The third question is, "Simon, 
son of Jonas, lovest thou (cc/src) me ?" Peter 
replies, "Lord, Thou knowest all things; Thou 
knowest that I love (crr/w) Thee." We think 
that Christ asks his disciple in the first two 
questions. Am I the supreme object of your 
affection? And Peter, not apprehending the 
depth of meaning in the more sacred word, 
and not yet having cast himself as fully on 
Christ as he afterward did, says, I love you 
with all the affection I possess. Christ then 
says, Do you indeed love (<fiAtTq) me ? implying, 
It is well. If you love me with that kind of 
affection, I shall become the supreme object 
of your love when the Holy Spirit reveals me 
still more fully unto you. 

(2) Again, in i Cor. xvi. 22, it is said, "If 
any man love (c^j/^O not the Lord Jesus Christ, 
let him be Anathema Maran-atha." On the 
other hand, in Ephesians vi. 24, it is said, 
" Grace be with all them that love (a^a-^v-a>v) 



CHARITY. 121 



our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity." Which 
we think clearly mean, Let the man who has 
not an ordinary love for the Saviour of men, 
who does not feel drawn towards Him because 
of what He is, be devoted to destruction when 
He comes the second time. Such an one de- 
serves to be destroyed for not seeing beauty 
in that which is beautiful, and for not loving 
that which is lovely. Let the divine favor 
rest upon all who make Christ the supreme 
object of love, who adoringly admire his per- 
son, desire his presence, and are zealous for 
his glory, and devoted to his service. 

From o.Yo-fj.w the sacred writers derived aya-r^^ 
which is exclusively a Bible word, meaning 
/ove, a gracious disposition wrought by the 
Holy Ghost, the counterpart of that divine 
love which it is the great end of the work of 
redemption to manifest. Those only are true 
Christians who have this gracious disposition 
in their hearts. " Every one that loveth is born 
of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth 



122 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

not knoweth not God; for God is love" (i John 
iv. 7, 8). It is an all-inclusive affection, em- 
bracing not only every other affection proper 
to its object, but all that is proper to be done 
to its object. Hence love is said to be the 
essence of the law. " For all the law is ful- 
filled in one word, even in this ; Thou shalt 
love' (Gal. v. 14). It is the animating prin- 
ciple of all the graces, as well as the crown 
and completion of all. " Without this, the 
other gifts would separate, pass into the ser- 
vice of ambition, and thus ruin themselves 
and the whole Church." It "binds together 
all the other gifts, making them work in and 
for each other, and directing them for the 
common good. It maintains the unity of the 
manifold divine powers, subordinates every- 
thing individual and personal to the general, 
and makes it subservient to the interests of 
the body of Christ." 

In I St Corinthians xiii., St. Paul summarizes 
the practical fruits of this grace. 



CHARITY. 123 



It suffers long under the provocations of 
evil from others, bearing with the ignorance, 
errors, frowardness, infirmities, weakness, and 
littleness of faith on the part of brethren, 
and with the malice and wickedness of the 
enemies of the truth. It does this with a 
mildness and benignity which is at the ut- 
most distance from moroseness or harshness 
of spirit. It delights in the prosperity of 
others, wishing all temporal and spiritual good 
to all men ; never grieving that it has not 
what others have, nor exulting because it has 
what others have not. It is not rash or hasty 
in judging and condemning, but hesitates to 
receive an accusation against any one, and 
weighs all the evidence, particularly that in 
favor of the accused. It is humble, and esti- 
mates properly the attainments of others, and 
has always a due regard for the feelings of 
others. It is disinterested ; seeking not its 
own advantao-e so much as the welfare of 

o 

others. It triumphs over irritating causes. 



124 ^LL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

and suppresses anger, and even prevents 
provocation by refusing to infer evil where 
it does not appear. It sorrows over iniquity 
of all kinds and wishes its banishment from 
earth, and rejoices in the truth wherever it is 
found, because it brings glory to God, and 
promotes peace and good-will among men. 
It covers up, as far as possible, without par- 
taking of others' sins, the sins, and faults, and 
infirmities of mankind, refusing to tell tales or 
listen to the tale-bearer, and puts the most 
favorable construction upon everything, and 
is ever ready to believe what may tend to the 
advantage of any one's character ; and when 
it can no longer believe, hopes what is good 
of another when others have ceased to hope. 
Finally, it " endureth all things," persevering 
in the divine life in the midst of all that is to 
be done and suffered. Surely, love is God- 
like ! It can never cease. In the future 
world the other graces may disappear, at least 
in their present nature. But love must re- 



CHARITY. 125 



main love, deepening and expanding. There 
are other gifts more striking and showy, and 
there is a tendency to place an undue estimate 
on them. St. Paul says, " Covet earnestly the 
best gifts : and yet show I unto you a more ex- 
cellent way. Though I speak with the tongues 
of men and of angels, and have not charity, 
I am become as sounding brass, or a tink- 
ling cymbal. And though I have the gift of 
prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and 
all knowledge ; and though I have all faith, so 
that I could remove mountains, and have not 
charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow^ 
all my goods to feed the poor, and though I 
give my body to be burned, and have not 
charity, it profiteth me nothing" (i Cor. xii. 31 ; 
xiii. I, 2, 3). 

" I hold the sceptre in my hand 

Which rules the universe of things, 
Which rules the ocean, rules the land, 
And puts to shame the power of kings. 



126 ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE. 

" The iron wheels of cruel war, 

The swords and scimitars of strife, 
They see its glories from afar, 
And bow before its power of life. 

" Look up ! Its lifted light behold ! 
Not framed by human power or art, 
Not made of wood, or stone, or gold ; 
'Tis Love ! the sceptre of the heart. 

'' 'Tis Love ! All things shall love obey ; 
All things its high behests fulfil ; 
It holds the thunder in its sway ; 
It says to stormy seas, ' Be still.' 

" My Father smiled and bade me take, 
My infant hand, that sceptre fair ; 
Beneath its power the nations shake, 
For God^s omnipotence is there.''' 

Thomas C. Upham. 



THE END. 



I 



